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| The Miracles featuring Billy Griffin |
| When Smokey Robinson told his fellow Miracles in 1969 that he wanted to quit the group, no one believed him. As the lead singer and primary creative force behind their hits from "Shop Around" to "I Second That Emotion," Smokey was too valuable a resource to lose. Besides, he loved being a part of the group too much to leave. But Smokey longed to spend more time at home and to focus on a solo career. He promised to stay until 1970.
By the end of 1970, a strange twist of fate gave the Miracles their first number one hit, "The Tears Of A Clown," and the group's sudden increase in popularity made Smokey reconsider. In 1971, he again informed Pete Moore, Ronnie White and Bobby Rodgers that he was definitely leaving the group. It was during 1971 that the group met Billy Griffin, a Baltimore singer who grew up idolizing Smokey & The Miracles. He was invited to understudy Smokey, Griffin travelled all over the U.S. and Europe on Smokey's farewell tour with the Miracles Smokey was listed as the executive producer for their first post-Smokey album, "Renaissance," but the actual producing went to fellow Motowners Marvin Gaye, Willie Hutch and Freddie Perren, the man who produced their first hit single without Smokey, "Do It Baby," which peaked at number 13 in October of 1974. But the Miracles needed more than one top 20 record to establish their new identity, an entirely new direction was needed. Summoned into a sunny California office where Vice-President of Motown Records Suzanne DePasse presides, Billy Griffin and Pete Moore are asked to compose a few songs for two projects that Suzanne just happens to have high hopes for. A tune is requested for Michael Jackson's first solo project and a hit record or two is needed to break a new girl's group called "The Love Machine." Billy and Pete get right to work chiselling away on some rough ideas that Billy has been tinkering with and come up with "My Name Is Michael" for Jackson's solo debut and "I'm Just A Love Machine" for the girls. The only problem is at this time, Billy and the Miracles are constantly touring. Splitting 30 weeks of the year on the road performing and the remaining 22 weeks recording their own album. By the time Billy and Pete can return to California from the road with their new ideas, Michael Jackson has already finished his album and The Love Machine... well let's just say they are quietly dropped by the label. When asked by Billy what he and Pete should do with their tunes, Suzanne promptly shrugs her shoulders and utters "Why don't you just record them yourselves." Billy records the songs leading the Miracles in a ground breaking platinum selling concept album. |
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| "City Of Angels" finally cut the umbilical cord between the old and new Miracles. Featuring an array of new musical effects, including water drums and synthesizers, the ambitious concept album examined the pleasures and pitfalls of Hollywood and the star system.
Listened to in sequence, the songs told the story of a country girl named Charlotte who seeks fame and fortune in Los Angeles. When her boyfriend Michael follows her to the city of Angels, he becomes the star. "Love Machine" is his ironic description of himself after becoming a celebrity. Standing alone, "Love Machine" was a synthesizer-heavy, pulsing disco smash. Too long to release as a commercial single, (a promotional-only 12" was issued Motown Pro-009 in late 1975) Motown divided it into two parts, and the first half became the hit-side. It entered Billboard's Hot 100 at number 90 on October 25, 1975. It took 19 weeks to hit the top of the charts, and it remained on the Hot 100 for an astounding 28 weeks, making it the the most successful single in the 16 year chart history of the Miracles and one Motown's best selling singles ever. |
| Two more albums followed, "Don't Cha Love It" and "The Power Of Music," neither produced a hit single. And after only five albums the Miracles left Motown. They continued touring and label searching, finally finding a new home with Columbia Records in 1977. Adding Billy's brother Don, thus making the group a quintet, Billy and Pete set about writing and recording for their Columbia Records debut.
Their first Coulmbia release was "Love Crazy" which contained the 12" single, "Spy For The Brotherhood," the song allegedly received complaints from the FBI. The album also featured the "Love Crazy" suite. Sales were moderate and their second release brought their days with Columbia to an end. "The Miracles" produced only a minor charting single with "Mean Machine" in 1978 and the group quickly faded into the revival show circuit. After leaving the Miracles in the early 1980's Billy went on to record three solo albums for Columbia Records, establishing himself as an international star in London. With the success of the English top twenty hit "Hold Me Tighter In The Rain" Billy earned the English "Silver Record Award" comparable to the coveted Gold Record here in the United States. In 1990, Billy co-produced fifty-two Motown artists along with English producer Ian Levine in response to an overwhelming outcry from Motown fans across the globe to revisit the days of their childhood (the 60's and 70's). Their collaborative work in a "reunion" series of videos, LPs and CDs featuring The Originals, The Fantastic 4, Lamont Dozier, Edwin Starr and The Supremes for the European dance label Motorcity Records was a historic event unlikely to ever be repeated again. This partnership later resulted in Ian & Billy's coming together to produce the “boy band" Take That and score the group's first worldwide hit "I Found Heaven" sung by then lead singer, Robbie Williams, and written by Billy & Ian. Later that year the duo hit pay dirt again with their production of The Pasadena's "I'm Doing Fine Now." Billy later teamed with jazz saxophonist Gerald Albright for his long awaited debut album, while simultaneously guest-starring on the debut solo project of Japanese jazz drummer Akira Jimbo of Cassiopea. Both of these records resulted in instant chart-topping success for the two talented rookies. This was certainly a fun departure from the R&B competitive world Billy was used to. The smooth collaboration with Jimbo also resulted in a Gold Album and introduced Akira to the American Smooth jazz market. Billy's rendition of "Olivia" placed Akira's album at the top of the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart for four exciting weeks. Over the past 3 years Billy's music was heard in such films as “Chicken Run", "BAPS" "Donnie Brasco," "BeBe's Kids," as well as FOX TV's "Alley Mcbeal" & NBC’s "Friends." Billy is currently in Sweden developing projects for his multi-media company Blitz Inc. Billy is thrilled to be bringing his first original album in over 10 years to his fans with the release of "Billy Griffin 2001." |
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